UPDATE: Towns is available.
With a little over two minutes left in Tuesday’s Game 4, Aaron Nesmith drove down the left side of the lane for a layup. Karl-Anthony Towns slid over to offer resistance but, in the process, banged his left knee and immediately went to the ground.
Towns was able to continue playing but had a limp. The left knee is the one he had surgery on in 2024 to repair a torn meniscus.
On Wednesday, the Knicks officially designated Towns as questionable for Thursday’s Game 5.
If he’s unable to go, Josh Hart would likely return to the starting lineup while Mitchell Robinson mans most of the center minutes. In a scenario with Towns out, Precious Achiuwa would likely be called upon to give Robinson a breather and provide the Knicks with some size. Head coach Tom Thibodeau could also elect to play small ball with Miles McBride or Delon Wright in the backcourt.
Obviously, the status for Towns is a huge variable for this game from both a daily fantasy and betting perspective. Towns garners a usage rate in the mid-to-high 20s and has averaged 15.8 shots in this series to go along with 25.8 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.5 treys.
Prior to this news, New York was favored by five points. The line is now -4.5.
